It doesn’t have to be Christmas for us to overdo it when eating. Fact.
Sure, it’s easier to blame indulgences on family festivities full of cheese plates, crisp bowls and decorative cookies.
But sometimes even the slightest celebration or just a moment of weakness (think: finishing all of that pasta instead of saving half as you intended) can lead to one massive food hangover the next morning. Trust us, we’ve all been there.
Which is exactly why we called on expert nutritionists to help put together a plan to beat bloat, curb cravings, and get you back on track. Read now, print out, and bookmark for later because, after all, you’re (we’re) only human.
1. Drink water
Wake up and pour yourself at least one glass – eight ounces – of water.
After overindulging, the idea of putting anything else in your stomach – and so early nonetheless! – seems nauseating and arguably impossible. But starting your day with H2O, particularly warm water with lemon, is a must no matter how full you feel.
The liquid combo is hydrating, stimulates bowel movements, and helps pass yesterday’s gluttony through your system, all of which decrease bloating and alleviate that ‘weighed-down feeling’, explains Lisa DeFazio, R.D. In fact, you should shoot for eight to 10 glasses throughout the day, especially since dehydration can make you hungry and tired, a.k.a. the perfect storm for another round of overeating.
As for your a.m. caffeine fix, DeFazio says it’s fine to have a cup of coffee or tea since both also kick your system into gear – just go easy on the cream, sugar, and honey to avoid unnecessary fats, sugars, and, you guessed it, cals.
Equally as important as the physical – hydrating – upon waking up is the mental. While you replay yesterday’s feast in your mind, take a step back and try not to panic. Instead of thinking ‘now the whole week is ruined, so much for losing weight’, remember that although you stepped off your weight loss path, you enjoyed yourself and now you’re just going to get back on track, says Leah Kaufman, R.D. ‘Definitely do not punish yourself.’
2. Have breakfast
While the exact time of the meal depends on your work schedule, don’t skip it just because you overate yesterday – after all, mum was right, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Not only does it kick-start your metabolism, but it also puts you on the right track mentally for a better eating day, which is key after yesterday’s overindulgences.
And since you’re likely still stuffed at this time, DeFazio recommends something comforting like a smoothie with ingredients such as a banana, a scoop of peanut butter, and berries. If a smoothie isn’t up your alley, that’s okay. Just be sure to eat a breakfast with similar nutrients: protein to keep you fuller longer, fiber to also keep you full and help with digestion, and water and/or electrolytes to hydrate you after all the sodium you consumed.
3. Have lunch
To keep your blood sugar stable and help curb cravings and binging when overly hungry (a.k.a. hangry), you should eat every three-to-four hours, according to DeFazio.
For lunch, she calls for a big salad topped with lean protein like grilled chicken or salmon and all the vegetables your heart desires – even add some rice or beans for a small serving of carbs to help avoid any sugar cravings later, which are common after overeating.
One caveat, however: DeFazio says to avoid cheese or creamy dressing because they’re high in cals and tend to be bloating. At this point, especially if you haven’t already, remember to sip on some water – not a fizzy drink (hello, unnecessary cals and bloating bubbles!) – as you eat.
4. Midday snack
When the munchies strike, don’t ignore your growling stomach. ‘You have to break the pattern by getting back into a normal routine and not going hungry,’ Kaufman says.
Since you probably had a lot of sugar yesterday, you might want something sweet, so Kaufman recommends, ‘using fruit to your advantage’. While you should stick to only two portions of fruit a day, this is a good time to snack on a cup of berries or a half-cup of melon (each count as a single portion) since they’re both sweet and hydrating.
Other filing, low-cal options? Some veggies and hummus or a handful (10 to 15) almonds with some fruit, DeFazio says. And if you’re someone who craves an afternoon pick-me-up, opt for green tea instead of coffee since it’s more hydrating and still packed with caffeine.
5. Exercise after work
If you feel up to breaking a sweat, both DeFazio and Kaufman recommend you hitting the gym.
No matter what, however, you should try to be active sometime during the day, even if that means just walking around during lunchtime. Doing so will help you ease into a better exercise routine by the end of the week to ultimately reach your weight loss goals and, believe it or not, even a little exercise helps with digestion.
6. Eat dinner
For something that’s easy on your stomach, low-cal, hydrating, and fibrous, DeFazio recommends having a large (about one cup) veggie soup for dinner. Either make the soup from scratch or buy a lower sodium option from the market and then pair it with a small salad or some protein, such as a piece of grilled chicken.
‘This will keep you satisfied without overdoing it on the calories,’ DeFazio says. If you’re not in the mood for soup, a good plan B is a meal full of cooked veggies with a bit of olive oil for some healthy fat and a piece of grilled chicken, or for a vegetarian option, a tofu steak, Kaufman says.
For both dinner options, include spices such as turmeric on your protein or veggies because it reduces bloating and gas. Chamomile, mint, and fennel work similarly, so the experts recommend sipping on any of those teas after dinner. Not only are warm fluids comforting to an overworked belly, but these in particular also aid in digestion – plus chamomile promotes sleep.
7. Get some sleep
Because it’s been at least three hours since your last meal, you can now (finally!) get to bed.
But, hey, this doesn’t mean scrolling through your Instagram for another hour or binge watching reruns of First Dates under your nicely-tucked sheets. Rather, get into bed with the goal of nodding off to sleep.
‘Try to get about seven to eight hours of sleep for your body to reboot,’ especially since rest is essential to getting back on weight loss track, Kaufman explains. Before you nod off, however, take a moment to think about how you felt on this first day post-overeating. Doing so will hopefully help you remember these sensations (groggy, swollen, uncomfortable, the list goes on) the next time you have a big event or simply feel the urge to binge, DeFazio explains.
No matter what, though, don’t self-hate! In just a few days, if not sooner, you’ll be right back to meeting those goals…that is if you maintain good eating and exercise and don’t give into those crisps and dip calling your name (don’t worry, we hear them too sometimes).
